Win the Essential Babywearing Stash from Along for the Ride (one Beco Butterfly, one Hotsling baby pouch, one BabyHawk Mei Tai, one Zolowear Ring Sling, and one Gypsy Mama Wrap)

Our Very Own Website!

Thanks to my amazing husband, we now have our very own website! Brandon has worked very hard and I am so grateful! Come check us out and continue watching this crazy journey to a healthier lifestyle!

www.theskinnyonjanuary.com

Emotional Eating

That is why I am overweight. Along w/being addicted to sugar and other crap. Well, I've kicked the addiction by not eating any sugar the last 2 weeks. My physical cravings have subsided. Unfortunately I can't just kick my emotions to the curb as well! The last few days I've had some things to deal with...basically life. The other night I wanted to eat bad, bad food. This is why you can NOT have it in the house for an "occasional treat". I would have binged and eaten way too much, then felt guilty, then beat myself up only to eat more. So, I am happy I didn't have any bad food in the house. Last night I wanted something sweet, so I had another banana smoothie. YUM. Today I have eaten too many snacks. I just feel blah. The good thing about eating healthy and not turning to bad food is that you have to learn to just deal w/your emotions and rewire yourself. You become a healthier you not only physically, but also mentally.

• Amy's addictive smoothie

• Too much o. air popped popcorn w/olive oil and sea salt

• Edamame Beans

• Synergy Kombucha and H20

• Small serving of pasta w/marinara sauce (I always add oregano, basil, garlic and sea salt)

• I decided to allow myself a treat tonight. I had Trader Joe's Jo Jo candy cane cookies. I had previously read about them on a Mothering.com forum. Oh my gosh they were so good and I had too many. They were the yummiest.
  

H20

We all know we should drink plenty of water, right? Then why is that I know people who only drink tea and soda all day? They don't have one drop of water! How can that be? What is that doing to their body? It seems everyone recommends 8 full glasses or 64 oz. per day. Are you drinking that? You can find info about how much water to drink at places like here, but you know what? Use your head! I need to coin that term! Are you thirsty? Are you too hungry? Ask yourself if you have had enough water today!

What kind of water are you drinking? I don't know about you, but I just do not trust tap water. Have yours tested, you might be surprised. I love drinking distilled water. Some friends of ours turned us on to drinking distilled water (in glass if you can) a few years ago. It's the purest water you can get. Don't you only want pure things going into your body. I do. I'm sure there is info about distilled water that is for and against it. Just drink good water and get enough!


I Am What I Eat:

• Breakfast was once again Amy's Yummy Smoothie! I could eat these all the time! Oh wait...I am!
  

• O. air popped popcorn w/olive oil and sea salt

• My "Indian" o. tofu &o. couscous

• 2 slices o. apple w/peanut butter

• Synergy Kombucha and Whole Foods o. green tea
  

• O. Whole Foods flax oatmeal w,1 tsp o. brown sugar

• Edamame Beans w/sea salt

• I became hungry later on, so I made veggie fried rice
  

• Then I wanted something sweet, so I had another one of Amy's Addictive Yummy Smoothies!
  

Did I Exercise Today?








Overall and Tomorrow's Goals:
Need to drink more water and exercise!!!!!!!!!!!

Thought Of The Day

Thought Of The Day

I just have so much going through my brain when it comes to health, losing weight, etc. I'm also going to start posting articles. We are working on getting our own website up so we can transfer this blog over. That way we'll have more freedom and can better organize all of this information! It's kinda exciting actually! I can't wait to write posts/articles on raw dairy, my favorite snacks and drinks, excitotoxins (that's all Brandon), etc. There will be info, links and our thoughts on the subject. Hey, this is fun to us!

I Am What I Eat!

• Amy's Yummy Smoothie

• Cut up o. apple w/o. peanut butter

• O. brown rice, o. pinto beans, o. hot Emerald Valley salsa, 1/2 small avocado

• Bora Bora Wellness Bar

• Decaf Green and Red Raspberry Leaf tea, homemade and iced

• Bora Bora Wellness Bar

• Rice, guacamole and tortilla chips (a Christmas party).

Did I Exercise Today?

Nope (as I bow my head down in shame).

Overall and Tomorrow's Goals

I was a little nervous about the party. I did really well though. I ate vegetarian and stayed away from the tamales! I am so proud of myself. I didn't pop one piece of candy in my mouth and took no bites of all the cookies and desserts! It's almost like instinct to grab something and eat it. Obviously it's a habit and I'm breaking it! Go me!

Tomorrow I am walking to the park again. We have a playdate, so I have to go. It'll feel great!

Getting Off Your Butt!

You have to exercise the way that is best for you! Basically, whatever you will get off your butt and do... DO THAT! I won't use a treadmill and I don't want my kids in the daycare at a gym to use a treadmill, swimming is not feasible for me right now, and I do NOT like running (sorry to my running friends). Walking outside with the kids just works for me. The kids and I get out of the house and we usually find a walking path that leads us to a park. This way they can play and get their exercise and I get a break from crazy toddlers. It's perfect for us. What's right for you? Figure it out and get off you lazy, large rear-end and do it!

Can I just say I love jogger's? My friend Amy once said that if she could marry her jogger, she would. I hear ya girl! They are a working-out mama's best friend! So, I have a double jogger as I've mentioned before. Well, I have 3 kids. Carrying the baby in a sling will work for now, but then what? See, Brandon and I had the bright idea to have kids close in age, so they are 4 years old and under. None of them can keep up at the pace I want to go. Soooo, I want a triple jogger!!!!!!!! I really do. I mean look at that sucker! Isn't bad*ss?! It's on the Christmas list, so here's hoping Santa is generous this year (come on Santa, I've been a good girl)!


I Am What I Eat

• Amy's yummy banana smoothie

• Kombucha

• An o. apple, a Lara Bar and a Bora Bar, H20

• A "green lemonade". I don't have a juicer right now, so the fruit was whole and super blended in the Vitamix. It was a lemon, an apple, a celery stalk, 2/3 cucumber, and some leaves cut off our radishes. It was good and gave Brandon and I bursts of energy. Being that it was in a blender and not juiced, I'd add more juicy fruit and a little less cucumber. I can't wait to get another Jack Lalanne juicer!

• Made the tofu and couscous again with ginger this time.

• Decaf Green Tea

• O. air popped popcorn w/olive oil and sea salt

• Home made french fries (red potatoes cut up and cooked in olive and coconut oil), an Amy's (I seem to like Amy's!) California veggie burger cut up with o. ketchup.

• Glass of Silk chocolate soy milk.
  

Did I Exercise Today.

Yep. I walked a mile to the park and a mile home. I kept a good pace (once I switched the kids around, got the baby to stop crying, gave the kids snacks, etc). It felt really good. On the way home it got hot. My pelvis hurts tonight, but it was so worth it. I want to get that triple jogger and rock this neighborhood. I can be known as that crazy lady w/the huge stroller!

Overall and Tomorrow's Goals

I am proud of myself for eating well and getting exercise today. Tomorrow I am going to go on a shorter, easier walk just to get in the habit of walking everyday. Baby steps!

Eating Out of My Comfort Zone and Testing Boundaries

Sunday night we got together with the extended family for a birthday. I have to say it was interesting eating somewhere other than home since I made the switch to Vegan. First of all, the only thing I could eat was noodles and sauce (which my sister was kind enough to do w/no meat). I didn't feel deprived, but I just wanted to be home with my food!

Also, I realized that while my children can be vegan at home, when we are out I may be a little more relaxed and let them eat a vegetarian diet. No meat still, but won't panic if they have a little bite or serving of let's say a Coconut Cake from the Dish (a joint I love here). I might be slightly jealous, but hey, that's OK. My family was wonderful in supporting my food choices right now and I appreciate them very much.

Now, moving on to Monday night, my sister wanted me to meet up w/her for dessert. Great. Well, I told her the dessert was all her b/c I'm not eating it. No problem. We get there and I order a vegetarian soup. I'm doing awesome! Then, my daughter gets a chocolate chip Heath crunch cookie. It was HUGE. Am I eating any? NO! At least that's what I'm telling myself as I put it in my mouth and chew while thinking, "oh this is so good". I was wondering after I had a few bits why I ate it. It obviously has milk, butter and eggs in it. I do not want to eat those right now, so why did I? It's totally fine to have treats when losing weight (I did last time I had a large weight loss), but this wouldn't have been a treat I would have picked. I'm trying to say it wasn't a premeditated treat, but more of a heat of the moment treat. As I pondered it, I decided it was to test boundaries. I think I needed to see how I felt emotionally and physically after eating it. Do you want to know? I did not feel good. First of all I started feeling mucousy and gross, and I wished I hadn't eaten the dairy. I'm not against dairy and you don't have to stop eating it to lose weight. I just personally am experimenting with not eating it right now. I like to explore with food and different ways of eating to keep things interesting on my weight loss journey's. For me, if I were to eat dairy again, I only want it from farms I know, where the milk and cheese is raw, and when I can make butter from raw cream (this is a whole other post by the way). So, I tested that boundary and now I know I don't' want to do it again. Man, it's like I'm a 2 year old testing my limits!

I think for now I just need to eat at home as much as possible. The food we make is so delicious and we save money! It really is better!

Making Adjustments

Like I said in my previous post, I don't count calories. If I don't like how I'm feeling or don't think I'm losing right, then I make minor adjustments. I look at what I've been eating and change it. I think I've been allowing too many little carb snacks in. Having a handful of pita chips here and there adds up and it has no nutritional value whatsoever! So, today I am going to focus on eating all nutrient dense foods. We'll see how it goes!

I Am What I Eat:

• 1/2 banana, Amy's smoothie

• An o. apple w/o. peanut butter (probably about 1.5 tbsp if you really want to know)

• Decaf Green Tea

• Lunch was yummy tofu and couscous. I used coconut oil, soy sauce, minced garlic, turmeric, curry and orange peel. It was scruptioully umptious (as my sister would say)

• A couple handfuls of o. air popped popcorn w/olive oil and sea salt today

• Synergy Kombucha

• Bora Wellness Bar

• Dinner was o. short grain brown rice w/o. black beans, o. Emerald Valley hot salsa and 1/3 avocado on top! It was quite good I have to say. I would never have eaten rice and beans, but with the salsa, avocado and spices added to the beans (minced garlic, turmeric and sea salt), it was more than doable.

Did I Exercise Today

Ahhh! No! That's OK though, I have a play date at the park tomorrow, so 2, 1 mile walks are in my near future.

Overall and Tomorrow's Goals

I felt amazing today. My only "carbs" other than fruit, etc. was couscous and brown rice (and a little popcorn). I felt light and on my toes. I'm going to continue to watch which kind of carbs I am eating and make sure they are coming from great, nutritious sources.

Walk, Walk, Walk!